Thermoplastics are compositions which can be molded or otherwise shaped and reprocessed at temperatures above their melting or softening points. Thermoplastic elastomers (elastoplastics) are materials which exhibit both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties, i.e., the materials process as thermoplastics but have physical properties like elastomers. Shaped articles may be formed from thermoplastic elastomers by extrusion, injection molding or compression molding without the time-consuming step required with conventional vulcanizates. Elimination of the time required to effect vulcanization provides significant manufacturing advantages. Further, thermoplastic elastomers can be reprocessed without the need for reclaiming, and, in addition, many thermoplastics can be thermally welded.
Moldable elastoplastic compositions of plastic resins and cured high unsaturation diene rubbers containing high proportions of rubber are known (A. Y. Coran and R. Patel, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,104,210 and 4,141,863).